A Fateful Meeting
by anubislover
Summary: Set just after "Hammer of the Gods." Atropos knew her friends were dead, so she decides to go to the motel to pay her respects. She just didn't expect a certain archangel to still be there...


So, I got into the Supernatural fandom at the beginning of the summer, and now I'm obsessed. I especially love Lucifer. I also liked Atropos/Fate, even if she was just a one-shot character. And then came "Hammer of the Gods" and thought "Hey, Atropos probably knew a lot of those guys. I wonder how she'd react to their deaths. And I'll bet Gabriel wouldn't have been able to fool her!" So, yeah, this came from that. Please tell me if I made anyone too OOC, I'm still pretty new to the fandom so I'm not yet an expert on the characters' personalities.

Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own. I wish I did, but I don't. But I will gladly accept it as a birthday present!

A Fateful Meeting

Most days, Atropos didn't have any strong feelings about her job. It was necessary, steady work, if a bit morbid. It was vital in the natural order of things; everything needed an end, and her job was knowing how and when to bring it about.

But today, as she stood in the lobby of the Elysian Fields motel, she hated everything about her job. Seeing the bodies of gods she had known for several millennia wasn't made easier with prior knowledge. Her book told her she'd find Mercury crumpled behind the front desk, neck twisted at an unnatural angle, but reading about such a thing couldn't prepare her for the sight of bones straining the skin, or the look of shock frozen on his face.

Mercury had been one of the first gods she'd ever allowed herself to get close to. He had been hard-working, efficient, yet amusing. He was respectful, especially to her and her sisters, though he sometimes felt that he knew best. That could be a problem with being a messenger god; people were never as interested in what you had to say. It shouldn't have surprised her that he'd gone behind the others' backs after feeling so disregarded, but she honestly thought he was smarter than this.

She shook her head sadly. "Oh, Mercury," she whispered, "you should have known he would do this. It's not like he ever hid his contempt for us."

The spectacled blonde moved on, not wanting to dwell on her old friend's mistake. Besides, she knew things were only going to get worse from there.

She was proven right as she walked through the hallways, blood and bodies littering the once lavish corridors. The Morningstar had been brutally efficient, she'd give him that. Each god had likely been dead within minutes. She knew some had tried to fight, and it actually pained her to know it hadn't even phased the fallen angel.

Wise Odin was on the floor, head crushed, blood and brains and bits of skull splattered across the smooth tiles. Likely no one but her would recognize him, and even that was only because of the leather-bound book nestled snugly under her arm.

"You were supposed to possess more knowledge than any of them. Why didn't you talk sense into them?"

Delicately she stepped past body after body, quietly berating and mourning her fallen friends. Her sensible shoes made soft, squishy noises from the wet gore, and she would likely have to throw them out after she left. She couldn't bring herself to care, though, focusing on keeping her breathing steady as she hugged her book to her chest like a security blanket. Finally, she came to the set of double doors at the end of the hall. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself for what she knew lay beyond.

_Why am I doing this? _Atropos thought sullenly. They were gone, and powerful as she still was, they weren't coming back. Her presence there made no difference. Her sisters had been against it, telling her that there was no sense rubbing salt on the wound. Logically, she knew they were right. But deep down, she knew she had to say goodbye. These gods would not be mourned; this was likely the closest thing any of them would get to a funeral. And a funeral no one showed up at was too depressing for even her. They deserved better. She owed them this much.

The doors cracked open and she cautiously stepped into the meeting hall. Sweet, loving Baldur lay tossed to the side, a punctured rag doll. Her throat tightened as she recalled how polite he had always been to her, always greeting her with a charming smile and a kiss on the hand. A gentleman through and through.

"Didn't you learn your lesson with the mistletoe, Baldur? Just because your mother puts an invincibility spell on you doesn't mean there's nothing that can't kill you."

Observing the scorch marks that decorated the walls and tables, her heart eased at the knowledge that Kali had at least been spared. Though deadly and sometimes harsh, she and the Hindu goddess had always gotten on well. They'd had drinks a few times, Atropos venting about the pettiness of the Greek pantheon and the self-righteous arrogance of the angels. Kali in turn would give dry commentary about her own fellow deities and amuse her with stories of Loki's latest outrageous scheme.

_Loki,_ the blonde thought sadly, finally allowing herself to stare at the middle of the room. She'd always known he was Gabriel. It was hard to fake your death to Fate, after all. But he'd still made her and her sisters swear never to reveal his true identity. "Witness protection" he'd called it, and after much pleading and bargaining the Moirai had agreed, though Atropos had been the most stubborn. She disapproved of anyone running away from what they were meant to do, but that little bit of her heart that was still willing to feel had sympathized with him. She and her sisters rarely fought, but the very idea of Clotho and Lachesis trying to kill each other made her want to run and hide in a dark corner. Gabriel had actually witnessed his brothers fight; he was worse off. This made her agree to keep quiet, just so long as he didn't bring too much attention to himself. So of course he took on the role of a trickster, just to annoy her. Still, on the few occasions they'd crossed paths, he'd always winked at her and gave her a secretive smile. And if she was having a good enough day, Atropos would even return it.

She knelt beside the body, careful not to disturb the ashes that were once his beautiful wings. For the first time since she got there, she put down her book, reverently laying it beside her on the floor. Her hands free, she reached out and gently brushed a bit of the archangel's wispy brown hair from his face.

"You candy-eating idiot. The one time you try to be a hero, and this happens!" A single tear was allowed to fall from her eye. "Lucifer's a monster for doing this to you."

"Well, that's a bit harsh, don't you think?"

Atropos leapt to her feet and whirled around, horrified at the hauntingly familiar voice. "Wha—what are you doing here, Lucifer?" she whispered.

The Devil gave a small smile. "Cleaning myself up. It's a bit unseemly to walk around covered in pagan blood, don't you think?" He cocked his head to the side curiously. "I have to say I'm a bit surprised to see you here, Atropos. You never struck me as the sentimental type."

Trembling, she wished she could back away. By human standards he was an acceptable distance away, but even a mile would feel too close for her. But she remained rooted to her spot, fearing if she backed up she would trip over Gabriel's hollow body. It would be a cruel last prank of the Trickster, and she had no desire to be even more helpless than she already was.

She tried to sound calm, but she knew her unease would be obvious to Lucifer. "I wanted to pay my respects. I mean, I knew a lot of them."

Tapping a finger against his chin, he seemed to consider her words. "Yes, you did, didn't you?" His eyes regarded her thoughtfully, a tiger sizing up a deer. "In fact, if I recall correctly, you used to be one of these so-called gods. Isn't that right?"

The way her eyes widened in fear answered his rhetorical question. Still smiling, he took a step forward and she cringed, squeezing her eyes shut. There wasn't a whole lot that could kill her, but she would bet money that Lucifer was one of them.

_I wonder if my name is in the book,_ Atropos thought, trying to maintain as much dignity as she could while waiting for her death. She stood there, eyes closed, expecting some sort of painful sensation. Would he shove his arm through her chest? Break her neck? Slit her throat? Her mind whirled with scenarios. That was the problem with knowing every mode of death there can be; the mind tends to go wild when faced with your own.

There was no pain, no sound, nothing. She stood there for a full minute, waiting for Lucifer to kill her, but nothing happened. _Maybe he didn't want to get his hands bloody again, _her brain supplied. _Maybe he left._ Deciding it was better to find out than stand there all night, she opened her eyes.

Lucifer was still there, but instead of a respectful six feet away he was less than a foot, looming over her and invading her personal space. She hadn't realized just how tall his vessel was, though it didn't help that she was naturally rather petite. Regardless, the shortage of space did nothing to calm her pounding heart.

The Morningstar smiled a bit wider at her fear and slowly crouched down. Atropos, for her part, found herself forced to maintain eye contact. There was something hypnotic about his stare, cold and steady like a snake's. His vessel's eyes were a light blue-gray and had probably been very pleasant to look at before Lucifer took over. She remembered the tragedy of poor Nick's wife and baby, and once again found herself hating her job. She should have at least cut his string too, let them all die and go to heaven together. He'd been a good, devout man, a doting husband and loving father. But no, the angels needed a plan-B until Sam Winchester finally said "yes." So Nick was left alive, forced to suffer until Lucifer gave him what he thought would be justice, and now he suffered even more. Even his body showed the signs, the open sores painfully obvious against the ashen skin, blue veins visible just beneath the surface. It was truly a disturbing sight.

A soft scrape caught her attention, and Atropos watched as the fallen angel ever so slowly stood back up. He held out her book and she quickly snatched it from his cold hands, clutching it against her chest like a shield.

Lucifer chuckled. "Don't be afraid, Atropos. I have absolutely no intention of killing you. You left their ranks centuries ago. In a way, we're practically a team, you and I."

The former goddess felt rage uncharacteristically bubble up inside her. "We're not a team! I may work for your father, but want nothing to do with the monster that murdered my friends."

Before she could even register her words, a bitter cold hand was around her throat, just beginning to crush her windpipe. There wasn't a trace of blood on his arm, but she could still smell it, and his touch made her throat feel like it was being coated with frost like a windowpane in the winter.

Yet despite the harshness of his grip, his easy smile remained in place as if it were carved there. "Name calling doesn't suit you, little goddess. Besides, I'm not the murderer here. Aren't you the one who ended their lives? You cut the string; I was just the _dues ex machina_." His voice was soft as he pulled her a little closer, gently brushing a strand of hair out of her face. A shudder wracked through her body at how soft and yet how _wrong_ his touch felt. "If anything, you're the one to blame."

She clawed at his hand, trying to pry his icy fingers away from her throat. He obliged, loosening his grip just enough to let her speak. "I was," she gasped, "just doing my job. I didn't want them to die."

"I know you didn't, just like I didn't want to kill Gabriel." The chokehold softened into a caress. It was a horrible juxtaposition of physically comforting yet internally disturbing. His touch felt like a balm on her bruised skin, but her organs twisted in disgust. "But the difference is that I tried to talk him out of it; I gave him the chance to walk away, to see reason. But you," he shook his head. "You didn't even try to save them. You could have warned them of Mercury's betrayal, or even advised them not to challenge me. They might have listened to you; you know the angels far better than they do." He cupped her face softly, keeping her eyes on his. "But no, you just stood back and let it happen, unwilling to disrupt the natural order of things. You cut each and every one of their strings, and all because you valued your job over your friends. Even Gabriel's." His thumbs brushed her cheeks, and Atropos was shocked to find them wet. When had she started crying?

Still, she wouldn't let the Devil act like he had the moral high ground. "I cut the string, but the choice was still yours. You wanted to kill my friends, and you didn't have to kill Gabriel. I won't be lectured by a fallen angel with daddy issues."

For the first time his smile dropped, and his hand dropped with it. "Careful, Atropos. I have been generous, up until now. But I can be cruel."

"You call this," she motioned to the fallen trickster, "generous?"

"I won't say I'm happy about it, but he knew who he was up against. He should have kept running instead of throwing it all away for a couple of humans and a pagan whore."

"He stood up for what he believed in, and dies defending both your father's creations and the woman he loved." Atropos knew Gabriel and Kali had had their bumps in the road, but she'd spent too much time with the goddess to doubt that she had loved the angel, and that he'd loved her just as much. They were both too damn proud to admit it. "He sacrificed himself for the sake of the human race. That's more than you _or_ Michael would ever do." She knew she was doing jumping jacks on thin ice, but she refused to let Gabriel be treated like a fool. If she was going to die, she'd rather do it defending her favorite candy-eating idiot. She went in for the kill. "If anything, that says to me that Gabriel was the one that loves your father the most. Not Michael, not Raphael, and certainly not you."

Lucifer's eyes narrowed, and Atropos instinctively took a step back, forgetting Gabriel's prone body behind her. She stumbled and all she could think was, _Damn it, Gabriel! I am never standing up for you again!_

Her descent was halted by a frigid hand grabbing her arm and pulling her against an even colder chest. It felt like all the heat was being sucked from her body, and her blazer and sweater offered little protection.

Lucifer seized her chin and yanked it towards him, not letting her even consider looking away. "I told you I wouldn't kill you, and I take pride in my honesty. But I suggest you watch your tone. There are worse things than death, after all." She tried to pull herself from his hold, but he wasn't budging. "Now, we've both said some things that were uncalled for. I'm an honorable angel, and you're respected even in heaven. So why don't we just calm down and talk like the civilized beings that we are, okay?"

Atropos found herself nodding, worn out from the constant fear and anger. The Morningstar smiled again, brighter this time. She found her heart both calm and clench at the sight. It was almost beautiful, much like how it was said to have been before his fall. She was released from his grasp but he remained where he was, still far closer than what would be generally be acceptable.

_I suppose all angels have issues with personal space,_ she thought, recalling how Gabriel had always enjoyed annoying her by hovering over her shoulder or sitting far too close. The thought of how he'd never get to bother her again returned the sadness to her heart. "I should go. I came here to say goodbye, and I did."

"I suppose you did. But I'm not finished with you." Lucifer found himself enjoying just how easy it was to bring fear to the former goddess' eyes. If she survived his prize fight with Michael he might have to keep her around. She'd certainly make for better company than any demon. "The Apocalypse is going to happen, one way or another. So I'm going to give you some advice; don't do anything stupid. Go back to your sisters, do your job, and let Fate play out as it must. As long as I walk this earth, you will keep cutting strings. And I know it's tempting to play hero, but you're Greek; tell me, how often did they meet tragic ends?" He chuckled at the way her face paled. "You're a sensible woman, and your role is important. I'd hate to have to write you out of the story because you decided to honor my dear brother by trying to make a difference. So I will make this as simple as possible." His casual tone switched to a growl as leaned in close, "Cross me, and I will not only kill you, but your sisters as well."

Atropos swallowed and nodded again. It was one thing to stand up for a fallen friend. It was quite another to stare into the face of possibly the second most powerful being in existence while he threatened your only family. She thought of Gabriel, lying behind her. Sometimes, it simply didn't pay to be a hero. She bowed her head in submission. "I understand."

He cupped her chin and gently pushed her glasses farther up the bridge of her nose. "Good girl. Now I suggest we both get back to work." He gave her cheek one more soothing yet violating caress. "Be seeing you," he whispered. With one last smile he vanished, and the familiar fluttering of wings made her feel cold and hollow.

She hugged her book tightly and gave the body at her feet one more forlorn glance. "Goodbye, Gabriel," she whispered, and with that, she was gone.

The End

So, what did everybody think? Hopefully you enjoyed, and hopefully I won't be chased out of the fandom with pitchforks and torches. Let me know if I should be proud of myself or put on my running shoes in a review! Thanks for reading!

Ps. Brownie points for anyone who can find the _Labyrinth_ quote I put in this! Why did I do it? Because I love Neil Gaiman's _Sandman_ series and in that Lucifer's appearance is directly inspired by David Bowie. It's true! And I am totally ok with Bowie being the devil. So, I thought I'd pay a little homage to my other favorite version of Lucifer. Seriously, can't you just see him saying "Fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave"? Okay, I need to stop before my brain implodes from awesomeness.


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